Minestrone Soup

So Many Reasons to Love Minestrone

Make a batch of Gluten Free French Bread, spread it with plenty of salted butter, and dip slices into steaming bowls of fragrant minestrone! This minestrone soup recipe is my take on a beloved Italian soup that can be made thick or brothy, with or without pasta (though may I suggest with to make it nice and hearty), and takes well to even more vegetables than I’ve included here. You can even add a Homemade Italian Meatball to each serving for extra cozy flavor. Here’s why I love this soup:

• Light comfort food. Each bowl is filling enough to satisfy yet it won’t leave you feeling stuffed. And the scent of this soup, while it simmers, fills up the kitchen with an instant feeling of well-being. It’s the best kind of comfort food.
• Easily gluten free. All of the ingredients in this soup are gluten-free, and gluten free pasta works beautifully to keep it entirely gluten-free.
• Quick and filling. Two kinds of beans plus pasta turns this into a one-bowl meal that’s ready in 20 minutes!
• Makes great leftovers. Like many soups, the longer minestrone rests in the fridge the more its herby, tomato-y flavors will blend and deepen. See my tips lower down for how to store this soup.

What You’ll Need

Here’s a list of the ingredients in this minestrone soup recipe, plus some notes on substitutions. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts.

• Olive Oil: I use extra-virgin olive oil. Avocado oil also works.
• Vegetables: A medley of carrot, celery, onion, and garlic adds depth of flavor to the soup base.
• Herbs: Dried oregano and basil are perfect here, or you can use an Italian seasoning blend.
• Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
• Kidney Beans: You could substitute these with a can of chickpeas.
• Cannellini Beans: Or use another variety of white beans.
• Tomatoes: Cans of fire-roasted tomatoes and crushed tomatoes add a touch of smoky flavor and form the base of the soup broth.
• White Balsamic Vinegar: If you don’t have white balsamic vinegar, you can substitute white vinegar.
• Vegetable Stock: To keep this soup vegetarian use vegetable broth or water. If it doesn’t matter, use chicken broth.
• Elbow Macaroni: Use gluten free pasta if needed.
• Grated Parmesan: To serve.

How to Make Minestrone Soup

Follow along with my photos below to get an idea of how to make minestrone, and find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.

• Heat the oil. In a large pot heat the olive oil and add the vegetables.
• Cook. Sauté the veggies until they are just tender, then add the seasonings.

• Cook until fragrant. Keep cooking the seasoned vegetables until soft and fragrant.
• Add beans and tomatoes. Now stir in the rest of the ingredients and bring to a low boil.

• Simmer. Now simmer the soup and stir in the pasta; cook until al dente.
• Serve! Top each bowl with grated Parmesan cheese and enjoy hot.

Tips and Variation Ideas

Here are a few things to keep in mind for soup perfection, as well as ways to customize it to your tastes.

• Swap the beans: You can just double up on one of the types of beans, or feel free to substitute chickpeas, navy beans, or your favorite bean instead of the kidney or cannellini beans.
• Add some meat: To add some extra protein, stir in cooked, crumbled turkey or pork sausage, ground beef, or pieces of cooked cubed or shredded chicken.
• Up the veggies: Stir in some baby spinach or kale, chopped green beans, sauteed zucchini or mushrooms, or any leftovers you might have in the fridge.
• A note about gluten free pasta: Gluten-free pasta cooks quickly and absorbs a lot of moisture, meaning that this soup is best enjoyed right away. You may find you need to add more broth depending on how liquid the pasta absorbs. (This can vary depending on the type of gluten-free pasta you use — a rice or corn-based pasta absorbs more than a chickpea pasta.) While you can save leftovers, know that the noodles may start to break up if they’re left in the soup.
• Keep the pasta out: A way to avoid the pasta soaking up the broth is to cook it separately and stir in a portion to each bowl. Make sure the noodles are slightly undercooked if they are cooked separately as they will still absorb a bit of the broth. Then, for leftovers, store the soup and pasta separately.
• Use regular balsamic vinegar: If you don’t have white balsamic vinegar, you can use regular balsamic, although the soup will be slightly darker in color.
• Lemon juice: A splash of lemon juice instead of vinegar also works well, adding a hint of acidity to brighten the flavors of the minestrone.

Make It a Meal

This soup makes a hearty and satisfying lunch on its own, but if you want to round out your dinner a bit more, here are some serving suggestions for you:

• Salad. An Italian Chopped Salad or fresh spinach salad with Hot Bacon Dressing are great sides to soup.
• Bread. That crusty French bread I mentioned earlier, Gluten Free Soft Breadsticks or Gluten Free Focaccia are wonderful dipped into a bowl of soup.
• Other Italian Sandwiches. Make Pizza Grilled Cheese or Italian Burgers to carry over the flavors of the minestrone!
• Pizza. Or, make a cheesy Gluten Free Pizza and enjoy small bowls of soup with your slices.

More Easy Soup Recipes

• Curried Butternut Squash Soup
• Taco Soup
• Gluten Free Chicken and Dumpling Soup
• Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup